I'm really not doing business

Chapter 991 Heaven and Earth are a furnace, and desires dance in the fire.
Ling Yunyi's face was extremely ugly. He stood in front of the side hall of Wenhua Hall, watching four eunuchs carry a sedan chair in through the left gate. He twitched his lips slightly and said, "The Grand Secretary is really quite impressive. Your disciple can ride in a sedan chair to court!"

"Even Cao Cao, who held the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords, could only enter the palace with a sword and shoes, enter the court without bowing, and be treated with the three no-court-attendances etiquette. He was a subject during the Shenshi hour. How dare he ride in a sedan chair into the palace!"

There are precedents in history for people to ride in a sedan chair to the palace. For example, Gongsun Ba rode in a sedan chair to meet Duke Ling of Wei when he was old. In the Northern Song Dynasty, Wen Yanbo and Sima Guang were both granted special permission by the emperor to ride in sedan chairs to the palace because they were old and frail.

Even in the Song Dynasty, where the country was governed by scholar-officials, only these two people received such an honor, and they were old and frail, since the journey to court was indeed very long.

In the Ming Dynasty, there was no precedent for this. It is said that Xu Da, the Prince of Zhongshan, was granted special permission by Zhu Yuanzhang to ride a rewarded horse to court. Whether this rumor is true or not is unknown, but Xu Da certainly would not have used it. If he had not paid attention to this, the Ming Dynasty would not have had two dukes under the name Xu.

Ling Yunyi's words were filled with anger. At the beginning of the year, Wang Chonggu passed away. Ling Yunyi led his three thousand guest soldiers directly to Tianjin Prefecture. Only after meeting His Majesty in person did Ling Yunyi allow the guest soldiers to disarm.

At that time, Ling Yunyi thought Zhang Juzheng was going to usurp the throne, and Ling Yunyi returned to the capital with the determination to die to serve the emperor.

Even now, Ling Yunyi still believes that Zhang Juzheng overstepped his bounds by acting as regent. It was only because General Qi Jiguang refused to follow him that Zhang Juzheng was unable to usurp the throne. Otherwise, Gao Qiyu's "Shun also gave the mandate to Yu" was just a prelude to usurping the throne!

Especially considering His Majesty's natural privilege and his frugality, Ling Yunyi was not entirely at ease with Zhang Juzheng.

Upon hearing Ling Yunyi's words, Zhang Juzheng vigorously flicked his sleeves twice and raised his voice three fen, saying, "Vice Minister Ling! The preferential treatment His Majesty gave to Shen Shixing was not for me. It wasn't me who rode in the sedan chair to the palace! It wasn't me, it was Shen Shixing!"

Zhang Juzheng had long since reached a state of equanimity, neither showing joy nor anger on his face, but every time he discussed these rituals with Ling Yunyi, especially those concerning His Majesty, Zhang Juzheng would break down in his guard.

Ling Yunyi and Wang Chonggu were completely different. Ling Yunyi was not a treacherous minister, but a loyal one. He was grateful to His Majesty for giving him a stage to realize his ambitions in Guangdong, Shandong, and Henan. In order to ensure the smooth progress of Ling Yunyi's land survey in Henan, the emperor even brought the vassal kings to the capital, the Ten Kings City.

As long as Ling Yunyi remains loyal to His Majesty, Zhang Juzheng will not harm him. However, the words spoken by this Vice Minister Ling are rather harsh!
How could it be Zhang Juzheng who overstepped his authority? It was clearly Shen Shixing who overstepped his authority.

Shen Shixing could no longer smile. He had been all smiles when he heard that Gao Qiyu was sick that morning, but now, as he rode into the palace in a sedan chair and felt the gazes of the court officials, he felt as if he were being pricked by needles and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"I'll walk by myself." Shen Shixing got out of the sedan chair, not daring to let the imperial guards Zhao Mengyou and the other guards help him. He wanted to try walking on his own, but after only one step, the sharp pain made him unable to go any further.

Upon seeing Shen Shixing's ferocious expression and pale lips, Zhao Mengyou immediately scooped him up and said, "Minister Shen, please don't make things difficult for us. Let's help each other walk."

"How about giving me a pair of crutches?" Shen Shixing knew that he couldn't walk properly and that if he insisted on continuing, his legs would be ruined, so he settled for crutches instead.

Zhao Mengyou brought over a pair of crutches for Shen Shixing to try, but it still didn't work. If this continued, the ligaments would probably tear completely, and then surgery would be necessary.

Zhao Mengyou handed over the cane and said in a low voice, "Minister Shen, please don't make things difficult for us. We have an imperial decree."

If Shen Shixing really becomes a cripple because of these few steps and the red tape, Zhao Mengyou will have a hard time explaining it to His Majesty.

When His Majesty asks, "You, a high-ranking military commander, can't even defeat a weak scholar-official?"
"Commander Zhao, as you can see, the court officials regard me as an enemy. Commander Zhao, do you have any ideas?" Shen Shixing still refused to be helped into the palace by the imperial guards. If he did so, he would probably become the target of everyone's criticism. Ling Yunyi's eyes were already very strange. You should know that Ling Yunyi is the most extreme of the extreme radicals.

Once he received the emperor's decree, Ling Yunyi dared to lead his troops to massacre the capital. This was the significance of Ling Yunyi's return to the capital: to deter villains after Wang Chonggu left.

"I have a way, Minister Shen, excuse me!" Zhao Mengyou's eyes darted around, and he grabbed Shen Shixing, hoisted him onto his shoulder, and strode towards the Wenhua Hall.

Shen Shixing, who was lifted into the air and carried on the shoulder of the commander, was somewhat bewildered. Refinement and dignity were no longer his concern. With this one act, he became the biggest joke in the Ming Dynasty for two hundred years.

Is it too late to commit suicide now? Shen Shixing made a quick assessment: what's done is done, it's already happened, and it seems too late.

"Hiss! Shen Shixing is actually so obedient? The Grand Secretary is truly a master of education, a master of education. I am indeed inferior to the Grand Secretary." Ling Yunyi said with considerable surprise as he watched Shen Shixing try to walk on his own, walk with crutches, and finally be carried into the Wenhua Hall by the Commander.

Ling Yunyi wasn't being sarcastic; he was good at killing but not at making veiled accusations. Scholars value face above all else, and Ling Yunyi, being a scholar himself, naturally understood this well. Shen Shixing's overstepping of his bounds would cost scholars more than they could bear.

Qi Jiguang saw this scene and said with great solemnity: "Doing things is the same as fighting a war. You have to press on with your energy, then weaken it, and then exhaust it. Changing commanders on the eve of battle is a major taboo in military strategy. Shen Shilang is indeed loyal to the emperor and the country."

Upon witnessing this scene, even Qi Jiguang, the Duke of Fengguo, had to admit that Shen Shixing was indeed very respectful.

"Sigh." Zhang Juzheng sighed as he looked at Shen Shixing's disheveled appearance. He didn't say anything more. It was His Majesty's grace and special pardon to ride in a sedan chair into the palace, but this grace could only be shown in such a disheveled state. Otherwise, accusations of overstepping his bounds would follow one after another.

Shen Shixing entered the hall and put his feet on the stool. He felt a little dizzy, but then his mind cleared up. In no time, Shen Shixing adjusted his mindset. Being laughed at was nothing; it wouldn't hurt him much.

The commander's idea was excellent; in this way, everyone treated the matter as a joke rather than a crime of usurpation.

Just a little bit of wind and frost.

Zhu Yijun had arrived at the rear hall of Wenhua Hall and was sitting on a yellow futon waiting to enter the court. In the rear hall of Wenhua Hall was a huge piece of green jade weighing 1 catties. It was the largest piece of green jade that Li Chengliang had found in the Western Regions and was a birthday gift from Li Chengliang last year.

After this piece of green jade entered the capital, the court craftsmen designed and carved it into the largest jade carving of the Ming Dynasty. It was the largest in terms of material, the longest in terms of transportation, the most exquisite in terms of carving, the largest in terms of size, and the most imposing in terms of scale. The carving depicted the scene of Yu the Great controlling the floods and the people working to open up mountains and control the water.

This large jade mountain is undoubtedly the most precious jade carving in Zhu Yijun's private treasury, and its value is priceless.

Zhu Yijun liked the jade carving very much, so he placed it in the back hall of the Wenhua Hall.

The eunuch truthfully reported what had happened to His Majesty the Emperor. When Zhu Yijun heard that Shen Shixing had been carried into the palace, he was somewhat taken aback and surprised. If it were those old scholars, they would probably have shouted that he had lost all his dignity and was about to die.

Zhu Yijun whispered a few words of advice to Feng Bao.

After the whip cracked three times, the officials entered the palace from the side hall. Zhu Yijun waited until the officials were in place before walking from the rear hall to the front hall.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects. We are well." The ministers greeted him.

"No need for formalities." Zhu Yijun immediately noticed Shen Shixing and said, "Minister Shen is a man of great integrity and ambition. How could I treat him poorly? Here is a reward."

Feng Bao brought out a full purple Ziwei Auxiliary Star, opened it to show everyone, and then placed it in front of Shen Shixing. It was about the size of a palm and weighed more than a pound, a reward of the same caliber as Gao Qiyu's.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness." Shen Shixing had never expected His Majesty to bestow such a generous reward. This item was more than enough to be passed down through generations. If they were ever poor, they could just chip off a little and be rich for life.

"It's already prepared. I'll bestow this favor upon Minister Shen ahead of time. Just do your best for the country and the people." Zhu Yijun was very satisfied with Shen Shixing.

As a scholar-official, Shen Shixing could have easily taken sick leave to preserve his reputation. However, this sick leave would have caused many unexpected setbacks in the reform of the government-owned factories and the return of land to the five prefectures, just as Qi Jiguang had said: changing commanders on the eve of battle is a major taboo in military strategy.

The emperor forbade sick leave, yet Shen Shixing was willing to sacrifice his reputation to get things done. This kind of behavior is something that even the most corrupt and lowly scholars could not achieve.

"Change the sedan chair to a palanquin," Zhu Yijun ordered. A palanquin is different from a sedan chair; it is a chair with poles tied to both sides and carried by people. This is a workaround.

Even though both were carried into the palace, a sedan chair was a sedan chair, which was considered an act of usurpation and a serious crime, while a palanquin was a palanquin, which was considered a favor from the emperor.

In reality, they were exploiting a loophole in the rules of etiquette. The rules of etiquette only stated that using a sedan chair was an overstepping of authority, but did not address whether using a palanquin was an overstepping of authority. To attack Shen Shixing, they first needed to clarify whether the imperial palanquin bestowed by the emperor was an overstepping of authority before launching any attacks.

If the emperor's bestowal of a palanquin is an act of usurpation, wouldn't that be tantamount to saying that His Majesty is wrong? Given His Majesty's current authority, this lowly scholar would never dare to say such a thing.

After looking around, the emperor asked with some surprise, "The Junior Minister is in good health. He traveled all the way to the west without any illness or injury. How come he suddenly caught a cold?"

Ling Yunyi said with a strange expression, "Young Master Zongbo likes to eat cold drinks. He ate an extra bowl of wild ice cream yesterday and caught a cold."

A bowl of wild ice cream knocked Gao Qiyu out.

Given Gao Qiyu's physical condition, he was able to brave the winds and waves, travel all the way to the West, and return to the Ming Dynasty unscathed. He shouldn't have been knocked down by a bowl of wild ice cream. But the fact is, Gao Qiyu fell ill. However, after being examined by the chief physician, he was told that he would recover in just two or three days.

Gao Qiyu had just become Yan Shixuan's superior when he suffered a major setback. The problems themselves weren't serious, but the consecutive misfortunes of Shen Shixing and Gao Qiyu made people think more about the situation.

"Summon Yao Guangqi and Yan Shixuan." Zhu Yijun began today's court meeting, summoning the two directors of the Council, Yao Guangqi as the chief director and Yan Shixuan as the assistant director.

Logically speaking, Yao Guangqi was only a judge in Songjiang Prefecture, while Yan Shixuan was the prefect of Hangzhou Prefecture. Yan Shixuan should have been the chief official. This was because Songjiang Prefecture had a special status, and the officials in Songjiang Prefecture were naturally one level higher.

Songjiang Prefecture had the Huangpu Imperial Palace, which was built according to the Tonghe Palace regulations. It even included the offices of the Six Ministries. Once the highway from Jinan Prefecture to Yangzhou Prefecture was completed, His Majesty the Emperor could travel south at any time to handle important matters related to the opening of the sea. Therefore, Songjiang Prefecture was a secondary capital and deputy capital whose status was not yet fully determined.

Strictly speaking, the relationship between the General Manager and the Assistant Manager is not entirely one of superior and subordinate. Both of them hold the official rank of fifth-grade secretary in the Ministry of Rites, and their superior is Gao Qiyu, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. They both have the right to report directly to Gao Qiyu on various matters of the Pan-Pacific Merchant Alliance, and they check and balance each other while also cooperating in handling the affairs of the Council.

"The imperial court attaches great importance to the Pan-Pacific Merchant Alliance, as this alliance is of great significance." Zhu Yijun began his address after the two officials had come to pay their respects.

The emperor spoke eloquently for a full quarter of an hour before stopping, mainly discussing the Ming Dynasty's money shortage, the inflow of silver, overseas profits, insufficient economic growth in coastal areas, the promotion of industrial upgrading in mechanical workshops, the transformation of the commodity economy, the significance of opening up the sea, and the role of the Gold Mountain Kingdom, comprehensively demonstrating the emperor's ambitions for the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance.

"Minister Yao, Minister Yan, the Huan Tai Merchant Alliance is a crucial matter for opening up the seas, the lifeline of the Ming Dynasty's silver trade, and the lifeblood of the maritime frontier. You must work together with one heart and one mind, uphold justice and fairness, harmonize with all merchants, and expand profits in all directions. This is not merely the task of one prefecture or province, but a grand plan for the long-term prosperity of the nation. Do not fail my trust, do not disgrace your mission, and together forge a prosperous maritime future!" Zhu Yijun concluded his instructions with these expectations.

"Your Majesty, we will certainly live up to your trust and do our best." Yao Guangqi and Yan Shixuan bowed their heads again to accept the order.

"Minister Yao, do you have any good solutions to the rampant extravagance in Songjiang Prefecture?" Zhu Yijun asked, inquiring about a matter of great concern to him.

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and have no good solution." Yao Guangqi was quite handsome, but the scars on his face marred his good looks. Hearing the emperor's question, he pondered for a long time, not trying to be defiant. He was truly at a loss when it came to the extravagant lifestyle. Yao Guangqi didn't spout a bunch of useless platitudes to the emperor, such as promoting education, cultivating self-discipline, and the idea that a ruler should be a role model for his subjects—these seemingly reasonable but ultimately useless platitudes.

The emperor was indeed a ruler and a role model for his subjects. His Majesty's frugality was known even to the barbarians in the west, but this did not affect the extravagance of Songjiang Prefecture in the slightest.

In fact, Yao Guangqi really had a solution: by closing the country off from the world and preventing any ships from going to sea, Songjiang Prefecture immediately lost its superior position in the opening of the sea, and the extravagant lifestyle could no longer be discussed.

But this was a pain that the Ming Dynasty could not bear.

Yao Guangqi said with a worried expression, "I am not worried about the extravagance of these powerful and wealthy people. They are extremely wealthy. The amount they spend on extravagance is less than what they earn. Even if they squander their wealth, their assets are enough for them to squander for several lifetimes."

"I fear that the poor and hardworking people will become extravagant before they are rich, buying things they cannot afford for the sake of so-called face, to conform, or to fit in, just for a moment of pleasure."

“When I was in Shanghai County, there was an old woman in the western part of the city. She was sixty-five years old. Every morning she would carry cotton yarn into the market, exchange it for kapok flowers, and return home. Her loom would creak and groan all day long, and she could not sleep at night. She only earned thirty coins a day.”

“He had a wicked grandson who was sixteen years old. The whole family supported his studies, but they were struggling to make ends meet. In a fit of anger, the grandson killed an old woman for money after she refused to give him an inkstone.”

Yao Guangqi recounted a case: In the western part of Shanghai County, there lived an old woman who made a living by carding cotton. She earned thirty copper coins a day from her busy work. Her grandson was studying and wanted to compete with her for inkstones. He asked the old woman for money, but she refused. So, the grandson killed his grandmother, stole all her money, and bought the inkstones.

This case was truly shocking. Yao Guangqi became a highly respected figure for his meritorious deeds in the case of the black magic curse. As soon as the case came to light, Yao Guangqi immediately issued a warrant for the arrest of his grandson and brought him to justice.

However, the old woman was already dead, and the wicked son's parents protected him and refused to sue him. But in the end, no one reported the murder, and the yamen had to take action. The wicked son was still beheaded by Yao Guangqi and his head was displayed to the public.

"Extravagance before wealth is a great harm."

Yao Guangqi said with a somewhat bewildered expression, "Foreign goods, leather goods, silk, clothing, gold and jade, jewelry, ginseng and medicine, theaters, pleasure boats, taverns, and teahouses are as numerous as mountains and forests. It is hard for a person standing among them not to feel dazed and yearn for them."

Yao Guangqi really didn't know what to do about the extravagant atmosphere in Songjiang Prefecture. In Shanghai, he was blinded and captivated by the dazzling lights and riches. How could anyone resist such temptations when surrounded by mountains of gold and silver?
“Everyone prioritizes profit, everyone is eager for quick success and instant benefits, everyone indulges in extravagance and debauchery. The simple and honest customs of the people have been completely lost. I am foolish and dull-witted, but I think they have all gone mad.” Yao Guangqi sighed.

He was a man of integrity and resolute character, with the people in his heart and great perseverance. He could withstand the pressure, but how many men of integrity and resolute character are there in this world? In the end, he could only turn what he saw and heard into sighs.

Upon hearing this, the court officials sensed the helplessness, even despair, of the Shanghai magistrate and Songjiang judge.

In fact, Yao Guangqi had another idea: divide people into different classes and let a group of people who have become rich first engage in extravagance. If a thousand people are extravagant, then millions will be rich. By letting this group of people who have become rich first engage in extravagance, everyone can become rich.

Yao Guangqi actually did it for a while, and immediately realized that it was impossible to do. An invisible hand was always using various ingenious designs to keep the poor and laborers busy all day long, making it impossible for them to turn their lives around.

Yao Guangqi also piloted a ban on extravagance in Shanghai County for a month, which prohibited the rampant spread of luxury goods. However, Yao Guangqi soon went back on his word and withdrew this unrealistic ban.

The extravagance of a thousand people affects the livelihood of millions. He had enough prestige in Shanghai County that the ban on extravagance was widely obeyed. After all, offending the great benefactor meant that the great benefactor would no longer protect him, and he would probably suffer a thousand disasters.

After the ban on extravagance was issued, tens of thousands of poor laborers had nothing to do, leaving Yao Guangqi helpless.

After much trial and error, all the attempts by Yao Guangqi to restrict luxury, including imposing hefty luxury taxes, banning gambling dens, and cracking down on prostitution, ended in failure.

"What you learn from books is never enough. I learned from your memorials that you were in a difficult position, but I never imagined that such extravagance would be so difficult." Zhu Yijun had no good solutions for this matter. He did not offer any unsolicited advice. Making decisions without sufficient evidence or understanding of the actual situation would be wishful thinking on the part of a ruler.

Moving a machine gun ten meters is something you can't do.

In fact, the extravagance in Songjiang Prefecture was not a very serious problem. Any place where silver was plentiful would be like this. When Shen Shixing was the governor of Songjiang, he wrote a poem entitled "Thoughts on Material Desires in Songjiang".

Heaven and earth are a furnace, and desires dance in the fire.

Extravagance refines true nature; true gold never dries up.

The universe is a huge crucible filled with all kinds of trials. Material desires such as mountains and forests, gold and silver are the best fuel. Only after being tempered in the fire and stripped of all the superficiality can one's true nature, original heart, conscience, composure and perseverance be forged. True gold will not perish after being repeatedly tempered in this crucible, but will shine even brighter.

The imperial court was not omnipotent. It could not control or manage the extravagant lifestyle. All it could do was guide the establishment of social consensus.

Zhu Yijun then inquired about various issues concerning the consolidation of the land return policy in Zhejiang. The main concern was cracking down on the returning peasant groups, and secondly, ensuring that land deeds would not be merged again. After the land was returned, land deeds would no longer be allowed to be bought or sold. There were many details involved, which Hou Yu Zhao had to handle personally, such as how to deal with land properties that had no heirs, the issue of living off the extinct family, long-term rents, and so on.

"The affairs of Zhejiang all depend on Governor Hou's diligent work." Zhu Yijun affirmed Hou Yuzhao's work. Although Old Zhao liked to go against the grain, he always acted uprightly. After returning to the court, he could be called a pillar of the Ming Dynasty.

"We take our leave." Yao Guangqi and Yan Shixuan finished discussing their business and chose to leave the court. They would stay in the capital for seven more days to visit influential figures, communicate with the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonies, and find some officials to take up their posts.

"Summon Yang Junmin, the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture, to the palace." Zhu Yijun sat up straight and summoned another official, Yang Junmin.

Yang Junmin's official career was not smooth. Since the Jin Party began to disintegrate, Yang Junmin was unable to take the crucial step from the level of prefect to the level of provincial governor. The position of assistant prefect of Shuntian Prefecture was his crucible. Obviously, he was not as lucky as Shen Yiguan, Wang Yi'e and Wang Xiyuan. He could not get through it.

These days, the impeachments he faces from censors are causing him a great deal of trouble.

"Your Majesty, I, Yang Junmin, pay my respects. I have failed to live up to Your Majesty's grace and beg Your Majesty's forgiveness." Yang Junmin entered the hall and performed the five bows and three kowtows, his tone somewhat dejected.

His father, Yang Bo, the Minister of Personnel, had high expectations for him, and he was confident in his own talent. However, matters in the capital were numerous and complicated, and his official career had finally come to an end.

"No need for formalities." Zhu Yijun looked at Yang Junmin and said with a smile, "Minister Yang, you've only been back in the capital for a short time, yet you've become increasingly thin."

When Yang Junmin was the prefect of Songjiang, he was still quite robust. However, the position of assistant prefect of Shuntian Prefecture was too demanding. He had heavy dark circles under his eyes, thin cheeks, dull eyes, and even gray hair at his temples, showing signs of premature graying.

"Your Majesty, I am ashamed. Everything the censor said is true. All eight crimes are true. I have failed to manage my subordinates properly and have been a mere figurehead." Yang Junmin bowed again and said weakly, "But Your Majesty, it is indeed my fault for being incompetent. However, the six branches of Shuntian Prefecture are all lackeys and henchmen of powerful families. I am truly powerless to do anything about it."

Upon entering the hall, Yang Junmin immediately acknowledged the censors' impeachment, but he still defended himself by saying that the position of Prefectural Assistant was indeed too difficult!

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture was in charge of the affairs of the Six Ministries on a rotating basis. However, the word "rotating" meant that there was no one specifically in charge. When Yang Junmin had to deal with some urgent matters, he couldn't even find someone to rely on.

When Wang Chonggu was alive, Yang Junmin could still plead with him at his doorstep. But after Wang Chonggu left, he was truly at his wit's end with the Shuntian Prefecture government.

"I know that I discussed this issue with you a few days ago. I know your difficulties, Minister Yang. The crime of impeachment by the censors is not your fault. You have a memorial entitled 'Memorial on the Appointment of Craftsmen and Officials.' Please take a look and offer your suggestions." Zhu Yijun handed Zhang Juzheng's memorial to Feng Bao, asking Yang Junmin, the chief official, to offer his opinion.

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness." Yang Junmin naturally understood the Emperor's leniency and dared not be negligent. After reading Zhang Juzheng's memorial, a list appeared before Yang Junmin: craftsmen, clerks, those recommended for admission to the Imperial University of Peking, officials, and the head of the six departments.

To become a civil servant, one must be a skilled craftsman, have worked for eight years, be of the fifth rank, be agile, be knowledgeable, be proficient in abacus calculation, and be under thirty-five years old.

Every craftsman who wanted to change jobs had to take the Ministry of Personnel's examination and undergo a review, mainly to check his family background. Only after the review was passed could he change jobs.

"I thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

“What you said, Grand Secretary, is truly insightful. I am grateful to you for giving me a second chance.” Yang Junmin never expected that Zhang Juzheng would lend him a hand at such a crucial moment, and with such a miraculous help that it seemed to bring him back from the brink of death.

In the first year of the Wanli reign, his father, Yang Bo, blocked the examination and assessment system. Yang Junmin witnessed firsthand the conflict between his father and Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng had already shown leniency; otherwise, with Wang Jinglong's case, he could have implicated Yang Bo's entire family.

"This was Commander Qi's idea, and His Majesty approved it. I only made some additions." Zhang Juzheng nodded slightly, not taking all the credit for himself. He wanted to thank His Majesty, as it was His Majesty who wanted to solve the problem.

Yang Junmin was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was a smart man. After reading the memorial, he knew in a flash that it was absolutely feasible! Because the official factory was a group that could be relied upon.

The Marquis of Wuding's Mansion was a hereditary marquisate in the early Ming Dynasty, and there was a street in the western part of the city called Wuding Marquis Street.

The Marquis of Wuding's mansion originally controlled the loose coal business at the Coal Market. In the fourth year of the Wanli reign, the Marquis of Wuding's mansion humiliated Hou San, a craftsman from the Xishan Coal Bureau. Wang Chonggu ordered that coal should not be supplied to the Marquis of Wuding's mansion's shops. The Marquis of Wuding was dissatisfied and went to Wang Chonggu to argue his case.

Wang Chonggu then issued another order: no coal was to be supplied to any shop related to the Marquis of Wuding's residence.

Marquis Wuding was even more dissatisfied and reported to the Emperor, requesting the Emperor to make a decision. The Emperor issued a decree in vermilion ink, ordering Marquis Wuding's family to go to the Xishan Coal Bureau to apologize, otherwise the official factory would be in the right.

The Marquis of Wuding's family was in the wrong. The family member who had humiliated the craftsman brought gifts to Wang Chonggu's residence to apologize, but Wang Chonggu refused to come out.

The emperor issued another decree to apologize to Hou San, not to Wang Chonggu. Since the Marquis of Wuding's family wanted to do business, they could only go to the Xishan Coal Bureau to apologize.

In the fourth year of the Wanli reign, the official factory had just set up shop and already possessed such power; by the nineteenth year of the Wanli reign, the official factory had become a behemoth.

The salaries of all the officials in the capital were earned by the artisans in the official workshops!

This was true not only in the capital but also in the provinces. The official factory system, a combination of the Hongwu military garrison system and the Yongle system of stationed artisans, was gradually revealing its power, extending its reach, and penetrating into all aspects of the Ming Dynasty, bringing about numerous changes.

"I humbly beg Your Majesty to allow me to atone for my crimes through meritorious service!" Yang Junmin, who had been despondent, suddenly felt a surge of fighting spirit and wanted to give it another try.

(End of this chapter)